Convertible chair



(No Model.)

J. W. CLIFT.

' CONVERTIBLE CHAIR.

No. 439,721. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WESLEY CLIFT, OF WELLINGTON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO GILMAN WAITE, OF BALDWINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,721, dated November 4, 1890.

Application led October l2, 1888. Serial No. 287,971. (No model.) Patented in England April 10, 1888, No. 5,368.

To all whom, t may concern.-

Beit known that I, J oHN WESLEY CLIET, of Wellington, in the county of Salop, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Chairs, (patented in Great Britain April 10, 1888, No. 5,3685) and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable'others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is a special construction of a childs convertible chair, and such that it may form, rst, a high chair for the table; second, a low fixed chair; third, a low rocking-chair, and, fourth, a lowwheel-chair to be pushed or pulled about, and which may also, if desired, be readily used for a nursery or invalid chair, and with rigidity and safety in each of its positions.

The drawings, coupled with the description now to be given, will make its particulars of construction apparent.

Figure 1 illustrates in side elevation a chair embodying my improvements; Fig. 2, a fragmentary view showing the left side of the back of the chair, viewed from the back; Fig. 3, a fragmentary view showing the right-hand side of the chair, viewed from the front side; Fig. 4, a partial view showing the parts in position for use as a low wheel-chair; Fig. 5, a corresponding partial view showing the parts in position for use as a low rockingchair; Fig. 6, a detail showing the horizontal lever and its link and adjacent parts Fig. 7, a detail showing the vertical lever and its adjacent parts; and Fig. 8, a detail showing one of the irons which carry the hind wheels.

The front legs A and back legs B termin ate at b, as shown, and the two arched pieces C C, which constitute each of the two rockers and which also serve to carry the wheels D D, are severally pivoted at the outside of these legs and are neither of them pivoted or connected to each other, and the rockers are in front and back pairs, and these pairs are each free to be swung on centers, so that the wheels may be outermost and beneath them, as shown in Fig. 4, or at their innermost ends and above them and under the chair-body, as shown in Fig. 5, or at their upper ends When the chair is arranged for a high chair, as shown in Fig. l. These rocker-pieces when turned on their pivots have a range of movement on their centers of about three-fourths of an entire circle, in order to place them in their several required positions. Across-bar E connects the two front pieces C and carries the wheels D, and a similar cross-bar F connects the two back pieces and carries the castings or projections G, which carry the rear wheels D', and are severally provided with catches h and t, the former for locking the parts to the position shown in Fig. 5 by engaging with notches s in lever Q, hereinafter described, and the latter i to lock them to the position shown in Fig. 1 by engaging with notches 0 in lever N.

K is a foot piece or rest on which the childs feet may rest, and thus press it downward. It is supported on two lever-arms L, which are pivoted at a point back of the front legs A, but preferably on the inside of the back legs B. Links M connect these arms L with levers N, pivoted on the frame, as shown at n', and

' at the upper edge of their rear ends these levers N have a notch oto engage and lock with the catches t', above named, when the chair is in theposition shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, and thus holds the chair firmly in that position, such locking being caused by pressing downward the foot-piece, and the lifting of this foot-piece unlocks these parts when the parts are to be changed to another position. Notches 3 on the under side of the arms L of the foot-rest engage, when the latter is down, with the cross-bar E of the front rocker-legs C, and serve to lock the same to their vertical position, while at the same time the proj ection il on the cross-bar F of the rear rockerlegs engage with the notches o on the levers N.

P are metal rests or stops on the arched pieces C to support the wheelless end of the rocker-pieces O when in the position shown in Fig. 4, the wheelless ends of pieces C', respectively, being upheld by the bent ends Q3 of the respective levers Q.

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Q are metal vertical levers-one on each side of the chair, and pivoted, respectively, at or near their centers to the inner side of the front legs, and preferably between the leg and a piece of wood q', and are normally pressed forward at their upper ends by means of a steel spring R, acting on their lower ends and serving to bring the levers to a more oblique position relatively to the front legs. These levers are provided with a notch S at the rear edge and another one T at the front edge, the notches S engaging with the catch 7L when the chair is in the position shown in Fig. 5, and the notches T engage with the edge of a metal plate on the under side of the foot-rest when the latter is raised.

The seat U has a central opening for nursery purposes and a lid or carpet or other covering V for the same, and beneath this is a fixed broad platform W for supporting any suitable removable vessel. This platform is secured to the same bars X which connect the front fixed legs to the back ones. On these bars X the horizontal levers N may also be fulcrumed, as shown at n', and the pins er stops Y serve to limit the downward movements of the foot-board. The width of the seat at its back, including the thickness of the hind legs, is nearly equal to thc width at the front between the front legs. This (when the chair is used as a low one) permits the bringing ofthe tlat outer side of the hind rockers nearlyin a plane with the inner sides of the front legs.

The rockers are pivoted on the outer side of each leg, and thereby when the chair is in its low positions the front and back rockers on both sides ofthe chair lap more or less and lie side by side for a portion of their lengths.

The platform W serves to arrest the upward movement of the horizontal levers, as well as to strengthen the lower part of the chair.

The table Z has spring-arms upturned at l, and may be swung over the childs head and left to hang down behind the chair, and by springing the arms outward it may be removed. The safety-bar 2 is threaded at its end, which is provided with a threaded head or knob 2*, upon the removing of which the bar itself may be removed.

Projecting pins or screws Y on the inner side of the chair-frame support the foot-board when the chair is in its lowest positions.

From the above description the following novelties and advantages in the construction will be apparent:

First. The front and back pairs of auxil iary legs swing each on its own independent fulcrum, so as to turn its convex side either downward or upward at will, and the front ones are in no wise connected to the back ones.

Second. These front and back auxiliary legs, not being connected at their inner extremities, are not when used as rockers subjected to a long leverage strain, but being pivoted near or at their centers the strain is reduced to the minimum, while their arms, which are then innermost, are also braced or locked against such strain.

Third. The front and back rockerlegs, when lowered and when the chair is in use as a wheel-carriage, lap each other for a considerable portion of their lengths, and their inner and longer ends have a resting-support, which largely sustains the pressure or strain, while only the shorter ends project beyond the fixed legs, thus shortening the length of the carriage materially.

Fourth. When used as a rocker, the rear rockers are locked by levers Q, and this serves to hold both of the rocker cross-bars E F closely against the under side of the bar on which levers N are pivoted. In this position, also, the front and back rockers lap each other.

Fifth. The movable or fulerumed foot-board controls the chair, serving as a locking or unlocking means to hold together or to loosen the parts for a low or for a high chair, and when lowered the chair may at will be either a rocker, a traveling chair, or a fixed low chair.

Sixth. The chair when its rollers are on the ioor may rest (so as neither to rock nor to'travel) at six or eight points of support at option-namely, upon the four wheels and also upon the tips or ends either of two or of all four of the rocker-levers, this resting on two tips being attained by raising the footrest to release the front ends of the rear rockers, and the resting upon four tips being effected by releasing the tips of the front rockers from the rests which are on the rear rockers.

Seventh. In no case do the ends of the fixed legs of the chair need to touch the floor.

Eighth. There are no mortses cut in the wood-work. Each piece is solid wood, and the main parts may be held together by con1- mon screws or bolts, thus permit-ting the chair to be cheaply made.

Ninth. The weight of the occupant of the chair tends to cause the chair to retain its high position, because the rockers would have to approach each other at the bottom before it could lower, while the placing of the feet upon the foot-rest automatically locks the chair.

The chair when made larger is in its main features adapted for an invalid -chair for adults.

I claiml. A convertible chair having four arched rocker-pieces in pairs, the front and back pairs not being connected to each other, each pivoted near its center to the outside of one of the permanent legs of the chair and all having a range of motion of three-fourths of a circle, and whereby they may be swung on their centers to present their convex or their concave side downward or to serve as extension-legs, combined with retaining devices to hold the same in each of these several positions, all substantially as set forth.

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Q. In a convertible chair, the combination of a foot-rest pivoted to the chair at its rear and provided with notches at its front, with auxiliary legs pivoted to the front legs of a chair and adapted to engage with said notches and lock the auxiliary legs in position, substantially as set forth.

3. In a convertible chair, auxiliary legs, each carrying a wheel at that end which is uppermost when the chair is in its highest position and fulcrumed at or near their centers on the permanent or fixed legs, and provided with stops bearing against the front and rear of the stationary legs and free to swing on such centers in opposite directions to bring either end of these auxiliary legs outside the base of the permanent legs, substantially as set forth.

4. Aconvertible chair having auxiliary front legs connected to each other and auxiliary back legs connected to each other, but not connected to such front ones, these auxiliary legs being pivoted near their centers on the chair, substantially as shown, and provided with a stop on an overlapping end and Witha bent lever on the chair for supporting such legs and With cross-bars E F, and whereby when the chair is in its lowest positions these legs lie side by side for a portion of their lengths, and whereby when the parts are in position to serve as a high chair the lower ends of said legs on either side of the chair must approach each other before the chair can be lowered, all as set forth.

5. In a convertible rocker and wheeled chair provided with stationary legs, the combination of curved auxiliary front and back legs pivoted near their centers to said stationary legs, whereby they may be turned to present either the concave or convex portion thereof downward, Wheels fixed on -the concave surface of said legs, and means for holding the legs in these two positions, whereby the chair may be formed into either a rocker or a wheeled chair.

6. In a wheel-chair convertible into a rocker, a pair of auxiliary curved legs having Wheels at one end and pivoted to the front fixed legs, and a separate pair of auxiliary curved legs having Wheels at one end and pivoted to the rear fixed legs, these auxiliary legs being free to turn on their centers to the extent of threefourths of a circle, whereby the structure may be converted into a high chair, a low chair, or

rocker, and means for holding the parts in either of these positions.

7. In a convertible chair, the combination of the pivoted arms L, provided with notches at their front end, with the links M, pivoted thereon, and horizontal levers N, connected to said links and provided with notches at their rear ends, and auxiliary legs pivoted to the chair and engaging with said notches to retain the chair in its raised position.

8. The combination, with the chair-legs and with the auxiliary legs C C', pivoted near their centers to the legs of the chair, of levers Q, pivoted to the front legs and provided with bent rests or ends g3, and rests P on legs C', these rests serving tohold the auxiliary legs in theirlovvered positions, as set forth.

9. In combination, the levers L, pivoted to the chair and provided with a foot-board K, lever N, pivoted to the chair and provided with a notch o, link M, connecting said levers L and N, and auxiliary rear legs vpivoted to the chair and provided with a catch t.

10. In combination, the levers L, pivoted to the chair, provided with catch 3 and with a foot-board, lever N, pivoted to the chair and provided with notch o, link M, connecting said levers L and N, and auxiliary front and rear legs pivoted to the chair and provided, respectively, with catches t' and crossbar E.

1l. A convertible chair having rockers divided into front and back portions, such portions being, respectively, pivoted to the ends of the front and back chair-legs and arranged toswing on their pivots to a distance sufficient to bring at will either the concave or the convex sides of these parts undermost, in combination with means for holding them in either position, substantially as shown, and for the purposes described.

12. In a convertible chair, the combination, with the levers Q, pivoted to the fixed chair-legs and provided with notch s, of the auxiliary legs pivoted near their centers to said fixed legs and provided with metal piece Gr, having a catch h, engaged by such notch s to hold the auxiliary legs in position as rockers for the chair, substantially as set forth.

JOHN WESLEY CLIFT. Witnesses:

WILL T. NORTON, E. L. WHITE. 

